From hoary mansions to tombstone apartments and back again, Old Parkdale’s various dwellings sit cheek by jowl. Queen West is still gritty in spots, though family businesses and a few fashionable restaurants might be turning the tide. With fewer commercial tenants, King seems more desolate. Residential streets change from lot to lot: it’s common to find a dandelioned lawn and a dirt yard bracketing a landscaped flower garden. Neighbourhood die-hards believe the high number of rooming houses and rental apartments will act as a bulwark against the creep of gentrification from nearby Roncesvalles and West Queen West (though the area has seen a few new condos spring up). East of Dufferin, historic warehouses house an entertainment and media cluster sprinkled with trendy restaurants.

Grand Electric
This small and loud taco bar from a pair of Black Hoof exiles draws lineups around the block for its Baja fish and pork belly offerings, as well its uncommonly long list of excellent bourbons. 1330 Queen St. W., 416-627-3459.